WELL WELL WELL WASN'T THIS AN ABSOLUTE TREAT!!!! DELICIOUS 5 out of 5 stars <3

As a historical romance reader who swears by the mass market paperbacks to deliver on delicious steam AND plot, I was nervous that Always Be My Duchess, an illustrated cover, would be fluffy and do some poetic thing with the steam instead of making the steam itself lovely and as a result, sexy ass poetry. That doesn't make sense but it's fine --- BASICALLY, this book FELT like a was reading a mass market and then I was ADDITIONALLY rewarded with such a charming and sweet cover for my bookshelf!

There isn't anything I love more than a steamy scene where our heroine just gets it given to her so hard that she's literally putty in his hands and wow. The chemistry was wonderful. The steam was perfection. My wish of 22 years to be a ballerina (even though I cannot dance or move my feet or potato self to save my life) has heightened.

I will definitely be reading more Amalie Howard books now! Cannot wait for the next book in this series and to hopefully melt again at the glorious steam.

✨This book murdered my peace.✨

I had the best possible experience with this book I’m so unhinged. The man! The woman! He’s so proficient! She’s so proficient! The opposites did attract! The banter! The fake engagement! The pining! The sex! The beginning! The middle! The end! I have no critiques! Who is she???? The hold Amalie’s writing has on me I SWEAR. She’s so talented at crafting such emotionally complex stories filled with humor, love, and heat.

✨

The man played her like a cello. How am I supposed to go about my life with this knowledge? It was bad enough when he had to so much pent up sexual energy, the man whipped out a piano instead of beating the shit out of a person. NOW you’re telling me he can play the CELLO? And speak French? And fuck from behind on a desk? And PLAY her like a cello? How can I live laugh love in these conditions? I’m supposed to be okay with this man not being REAL? This is unacceptable. Distraught, destroyed, damsel in distress.

Lysander is the epitome of ice burns HOT. He is the traditional straight-laced, no nonsense, sees the world very black and white type of hero. His life got absolutely upended by Geneviève and I loved his progression throughout the book. He’s a neurodivergent hero and I was so invested in his journey of self acceptance and accepting love from others. He was nothing like anything I’ve read before and he has my heart, my good eyebrow, any part of me he wants.

✨

Don’t even get me started on Geneviève! My queen! She was such a boss ass ballerina I have so much respect. This may be the first book where the heroine gets to beat the shit out of a villain and the hero is just like “yup she slapped your ass into next Tuesday I have nothing left to add.” IT WAS SO HOT.

Seriously I love this woman. I adored how she spoke her mind and didn’t shy away from a fight. Especially with bad characters. She never got choked up with “words she should’ve said but never did.” She said what she wanted, when she wanted, and she meant every word. But she was also the sunshine to his grumpy and melted his ice and I just think that’s so lovely.

✨

Together, the two just worked so well. I go crazy thinking about how opposite they are and how perfectly executed it was. The thought of him playing the cello and her dancing to it has my legs divorcing. They just want to separate! My kingdom for a buttoned-up hero to be totally wrecked, ruined, ravished.

I'm a very big slut for scent memory kinks apparently? To me, scent memory kink is when a main character is just so obsessed with the other's scent that it's like an aphrodisiac and consistently brought up. In Elizabeth Everett's A Perfect Equation, Grey can't stop craving cake (after years of clean, plain eating) because Letty smells like vanilla. In Tessa Dare's Any Duchess Will Do, Pauline’s favorite scent was the smell of books, but by the end they were second place because Griff was her favorite smell. Here, Lysander uses familiar scent to calm himself when he's anxious and overwhelmed. His mother's scent was his comfort for so much of his life, but now it's Geneviève's that soothes him. I love when the scent is woven throughout the entire story in bits and pieces. It's always just such a reward when you pay attention to those little things.

✨

This is definitely a Pretty Woman adjacent story and if you don’t read it big mistake. huge. Like the movie, our hero hires her for a night that turns into many nights. Lysander needs to appear like he’s settling down with a wife in order to buy a property, but he simply does not want to settle down with a wife. Thus, he finds Geneviève and hires her to be his fake fiancé. Would it have been fun if she’d been a courtesan? Absolutely. But she was a ballerina and it was FABULOUS.

These are cursed words to me, buuuuuut if you’re looking for something to satisfy your Bridgerton Season 2 cravings, look no further. Their chemistry sparkled, the banter was sharp and clever, and the angst was purposeful. It’s slow burn with maximum sexual tension and maximum payoff. (Yes, there is hot hot sex thank you very much.) Basically, if you want the show sans love triangle, senseless drama, and lack of heat, this is for you! It felt like what I wanted from the show.

Overall, I cannot wait for the rest of the series. I felt like a god pairing up all of the potential couples and plot lines. I cannot believe I have to wait so long for the to publish, let alone for the next books. I will sell my soul for an early copy that I can hug. Catch me reading the rest of Amalie’s backlist.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶🌶.25/5

Thank you to the publisher for the eArc via NetGalley! All opinions are honest and my own.

CWs: Loss of parent(s), parental abuse in the past, fertility issues (amenorrhea) but ends with a successful pregnancy

Lysander and Genevieve are a great couple. I love that Neve is such a strong character and that she knows what she wants. I felt bad for Lysander's hard childhood and how he seemed to not to be able to understand others. Their chemistry and banter are fun.

I read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is another entertaining regency romance by Amalie Howard. I like how the extra characters are always quite outspoken and fun.
I feel like the separation at the end was an added drama that wasn't really needed, seeing as they were going to come together anyway, but that's just my personal opinion.
I think that because Neve was a ballerina, I'll remember this romance a bit better than some of the others. That scene where Lysander organised the theatre, the chemistry was scorching!
Looking forward to the other ladies in their circle getting their happy ever afters.

In Always Be My Duchess, Amalie Howard creates a cast of characters that promise good things to come from this new series, Taming of the Dukes.

A neurodivergent duke needs to look “settled” for a business deal to move forward. Genevieve (Neve) is a down on her luck ballerina who needs funds fast to help her ailing sister.
For the mutual benefit of each other, they create a number of agreements. Some all business, some salacious.

The duke doesn’t know what hits him since Neve may be small in stature but she is mighty in sass. Such steamy fun.

An enjoyable fake engagement historical romance.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’d say this book is a solid addition to the historical romance genre, so long as you don’t care at all about historical accuracy. It’s very Pretty Woman - without the actual sex work. Our cold-hearted business man needs to convince someone to sell and thus needs to show that he is, in fact, capable of settling down. Instead of dealing with any potential emotions, our hero instead does what any of us would do - he hires a ballerina! Its all very “cold hero falls in love with bubbly and kind heroine” but I liked reading it! If you ask me in a year I won’t remember it at all, but I’d recommend grabbing it at your library if you want a book to curl up with after a long week. Three stars.

I've been looking forward to reading this book since Amalie Howard first shared the cover. The premise of Pretty Woman meets Bridgerton is very hard to resist, especially with that red dress! The stern and hyper-focused Duke of Montcroix, Lord Lysander Blackstone (or "Stone" as his friends call him) is only interested in increasing his fortune, and when he is saved by Miss Geneviève Valery in Covent Garden, he devises a plan that could help them both. Nève is an up-and-coming ballerina that needs to help her sister and is out of work due to refusing a wealthy patron's advances. She accepts Stone's offer to be his fake fiancee to convince a potential seller, for a sum that would allow her and her sister to live out their dreams.

I mean I have been a fan of Amalie Howard since the Beast of Beswick and her main characters always have this heady level of attraction between them, with really badass heroines. This book is no exception. Our introduction to Neve shows she is no simpering miss, full of resilience with the decency to help a woefully drunk Lysander. I am a sucker for some immediate attraction and it's steamy from the get-go, which reeled me in right away. She is true to herself, holds her own no matter the audience, and will not compromise her morals. I actually didn't really realize Lysander was a neuro-divergent hero until some point later in the book. I just thought he was emotionally stunted from a terrible father and didn't like socializing. In any case, the lengths that the man goes to for Neve is swoonworthy (hello, birthday celebrations?!) and he is so generous with those around him. Going through it, I thought it was going to be somewhat easy for them so was pleasantly surprised at the ending! Oh and the hellfire kitties - I can't wait for the rest of the series. I love a good group of girlfriends and these ladies do not disappoint! All in all, another full steam romance from Amalie Howard that I would re-read!

This book which releases in July-is where Bridgerton meets Pretty Woman. I really enjoyed it.

Ne’ve happens by chance upon Duke Lysander and helps him out of a dangerous situation. The Duke is wanting to close a business deal, but the other person wants to do business with a family man not a bachelor. Ne’ve is a ballerina looking for work, and Lysander offers her a job—To be his pretend date at a ball. What turns into a date, leads to a pretend engagement for the season. But something happens along the way-the business turns into real feelings.

This book was recommended in Eloisa James reader group (I think by Eloisa herself) so I took a shot at it.
I did enjoy it. As a regency take on "Pretty Woman" I thought it was a fun quick read, with some cute nods to the movie.
There were a couple of plot inconsistencies about who knew what that had me puzzled, but not enough to detract from my enjoyment of the story.

Recommended.

"Always Be My Duchess", by Amalie Howard, employs one of my favorite tropes: a spunky heroine who brings joy and laughter to the life of a hardened (but inwardly a softie) ruffian. In this book, Lord Lysander Blackstone has no interest in being married as society expects. Getting tired of all the women and mothers throwing themselves at him, he devises a plan to get rid of them: he hires a new friend to act as his fiancé. Neve Valery is a ballerina who has lost work due to turning down the advances of her former director. Desperate for money for herself and her ailing sister, she agrees to Lysander's plan in exchange for money. But along the way, sparks begin to fly and lines begin to blur.

This is the first book in Howard's "Taming of the Duke" series and I look forward to reading more! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Netgalley for an ARC of this book! I’ve willingly read and reviewed it. All opinions are my own.

This is one of the many novels I’ve read of Amalie Howard’s and, like the others, it is filled with complex and strong characters who the reader can’t help but root for.

ALWAYS BE MY DUCHESS, elements of which come straight from PRETTY WOMAN, is about Lysander Blackstone, a duke, and the woman he initially hires, Geneviève, a ballet dancer, to ward off the multitude of eligible, marriage-minded ladies who hope to marry him for his title. Nève needs money so she can help support herself and her injured sister back in France. Together they enter into an agreement that would benefit them both.

Amalie Howard excels in so many areas when it comes to discussing societal differences in wealth, gender, and status and ALWAYS BE MY DUCHESS is no different. However, with this book, we are introduced to a character who is neurodiverse and the people in his orbit who accept him for the way he thinks, as well as those who learn that he might process things differently than others. His neurodiversity is often the root of the conflicts in the book, but I think it was handled in a respectful and believable way.

Though ALWAYS BE MY DUCHESS felt slow at times, it was an enjoyable read and I’m looking forward to returning to this series and its characters!

A fun, lighthearted, slightly raunchy but of escapism. This is the fastest I've read a book in 6 months and was glad to have something fun to read. The description of Pretty Woman meets Bridgerton is pretty on point!

Firstly, I’d like to say how much I adore this cover! It’s so lovely and I couldn’t stop staring at it while reading the book.

Secondly—this book! I was nervous because this has been an anticipated read of mine but I had no reason to be. I enjoyed Lysander and Genevieve’s fun personalities and their relationships. The author does such a beautiful job curating these endearing and wonderful characters with seemingly real personalities and ambitions. I absolutely busted out laughing so many times! This book was so fun, witty and honest!

Any who, I AM SO HONORED I GOT THE CHANCE TO READ THIS NOVEL. It hooked me immediately and I love how much we focus on the fake dating trope. GO FAKE DATING. The characters were wonderful and Lysander. Lysander was the absolute best. I really enjoyed the storyline and wow my heart melted so many times.

I think this one even topped so many other historical rom coms I’ve read this year, and I can't wait to tell everyone to buy it when it's in stores or be annoyingly persistent about it when I’m at the library.

I adored all the characters and the atmosphere so much and I hope the author continues putting out more books like this!

Super entertaining with plenty of fun nods to Pretty Woman sprinkled throughout. And if a hero who "doesn't understand emotions so I'll put up all these walls (but I've been betrayed before) until I meet her then turn into a total mush" is your thing, you will thoroughly enjoy this one.

Like many other readers, I've recently been obsessed with anything remotely related to the regency era. And this novel did not disappoint. It's playful and fun and flirty and just all around a good time.

This book was so cute! At first it started a little slow, but for being primarily a fantasy reader, I really enjoyed it.

Nevé was such an interesting character. I loved hearing about her background and seeing her grow as a person. I also loved the incorporation of French curses and they added a bit of flavor.

Lysander, I liked him immediately. I loved seeing him deny his insta-attraction to Nevé and say “it’s just a job for her.” If there isn’t anything I like more than the “deny your feelings” trope😍

Seeing the book being compared to Bridgerton and Pretty Woman definitely drew me in, and did not disappoint.

Tropes
Victorian Era, Warm Steam, Damaged Hero, Starchy Hero, Alpha Hero, Historical Romance, Performer, Working Class, Working Heroine, Virgin Heroine, Sunshine/Grump, Fake Relationship, Instant Attraction, Opposites Attract, Class Difference

The Plot
I was excited by the prospect of the Pretty Woman/Pygmalion storyline and it did not disappoint! I loved how they meet and were forced in to close proximity. That was a hot, fun scene! I was confused as to why she was allowed to live with him, seems very against propriety. I knew it was coming but I was still confused as to the way they finally came together. I fully expected, given Neves refusal to sleep with anyone and her virginity, for Lysander to pursue and persuade her, but it was Neve who came to him and offered herself. I guess I was confused as to the change in opinion…I was hoping to see that become that crack in his armor.

The Heroine
Being a ballerina, Neve Valery is used to the looks of men who see her as a pretty object. As a ballerina, it is standard behavior to have a sponsor who expects gratitude in the bedroom, but Neve has higher standards for herself. Her parents were French aristocracy, but lost all their money in investment schemes. And after her parents died, Neve and her sister were left to defend for themselves and took up positions as ballerinas. I liked Neve; she had standards and was confident to know what she wanted. Her bluntness and being unable to hold her tongue bothered me a bit, but I get that that is part of the storyline between her and Lysander.

The Hero
Lysander, Duke of Montcroix, is an arrogant man who wants order and structure in everything and everyone. Having had a father who belittled and thought him worthless, he determined to make his own name with investments in railroads. His father was even cruel enough to steal his fiancé from him to wed for himself! Living up to his nickname Stone, he wrestled the whole book with showing any emotion because as a child that was punished. I spent a lot of the book frustrated that, as enamored of Neve as he was, he still wasn’t changing into the soft man I wanted…but that made the ending SO MUCH BETTER!

“Stone? What kind of a name is that? A nickname?” “Just so.” Her full lips pursed. “Suits you. Cold and menacing like a gargoyle.”

The Steam
They had wonderful banter and plenty of swoon-worthy words & looks, but only two steamy scenes, although they were pretty steamy! Umm, he ‘played’ like a musical instrument!

“What are you doing?” she mumbled. He bit her neck between her shoulder and nape, not enough to break her delicate skin, but enough for her to still. He soothed the sting with his tongue until she moaned. “Playing you.”

Stand Out Moment
Okay, so I have two. First, obviously when he ‘plays’ her like musical instrument. And the second is the ending…not going to spoil it!

Who Would Like This
Anyone who likes a enemies to friends to lovers, pygmalion, rags to riches love story!

I received Always Be My Duchess as an ARC. This is my first full-length Amalie Howard book, and I really liked it. Genevieve is a struggling ballerina, shunned from reputable theaters after refusing to become a French aristocrat's mistress. She comes to London to try to work to support herself and her sister, who has been injured by one of the terrible men hanging around the ballet troupe. Lysander, one night while drunk, gets lost in Covent Garden and runs into Genevieve. She helps him escape a gang of ruffians, and there is an immediate attraction. Lysander is trying to seal a business deal, and asks her to be his companion for an evening out with potential investors. One outing becomes a few weeks of companionship, and things progress from there. It is a homage to Pretty Woman, and I believe the first historical romance of that sort that I have read.
There was one piece that seems to be a continuity problem. Maybe I missed, but I read the second half of the book twice because I was so sure I missed it, but then still didn't see-- I would have liked more of why Genevieve loved the house/property that Lysander was trying to buy from Lord Bolden. That seemed to be a breaking point for Genevieve in her decision, so I was confused how I missed such an important detail.
The writing is absolutely beautiful. It is full of detail, emotion and so lyrical. This was a darker book than I usually like, and I do not care for books where there is violence or a threat of violence to women, so that was my only complaint. Lysander was not my favorite leading man, but I liked watching him break (wish we had more of that). There are some great side characters. I loved Genevieve's friends that she meets through Lysander, and their little group was delightful. I can't wait to read the next couple of books in the series that tell the Queen Clubs/Hellfire Kitties' stories!

Always Be My Duchess promised to be Pretty Woman meets the Bridgertons. That, plus Jodi Picoult calling it “must read” was enough to pique my interest.

In this 1865 historical romance, a duke convinces an unemployed ballerina in danger of living on the streets to pretend to be his fiancée. This agreement would allow her to start over and him to seal a business deal that requires him to appear ready to settle down. Typical fake relationship trope matters ensue…

I liked that this story introduced a non-neurotypical hero, something that was a first for me in this genre—and something I think many readers will appreciate. This volume is also the start of a series, and ample trails were laid for that future, though some characters felt more like placeholders for their future plots than actual participants in this one.

Amalie Howard is hailed for her feminist heroines, and ABMD is no exception. Almost all of the characters are forward thinking and equality minded. While this seems somewhat out of character for the time period, it is clearly written for a modern reader. That being said, there were some period-inappropriate behaviors, conversations, anachronisms, and inventions that were plentiful enough to really take me out of what was otherwise a cute story. With such a loose footing in the time period (though the book stated 1865, many of the elements of the book seemed to sway back and forth from several decades earlier to several later), in parts, it read like a tighter line edit would have been useful. I hope these kinks are worked out as the series continues.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this advanced copy of the manuscript.

Always Be My Dutchess is not by any means a bad book. It is not an amazing book either. It sits firmly in the camp of fun but it depends on how much you respond to the tale. For people like me, asexual, I tend to focus on the chemistry, the interaction, and the situational intent of love. What does that mean? Basically, if the two main characters couldn't have sex would they work?

Yes... and no? That is what brings me to the three star rating. Now, mind you, I grabbed this book because Pretty Woman was a fun little late 80's early 90's romantic comedy. So to have a book that is quite based on that story, and probably more to come given that this is the first of a series, I decided to sally forth into a genre that I normally don't instantly dive into.

Rounding back to my earlier comment, if they couldn't have sex could they work? Yes. They would. There is a chemistry, there is an attraction, and at moments in the book they do shine well alongside one another. The story gives them that nice instant attraction but slow burn between the two of them that normally annoys me but worked really well here.

Which leads to where the issue is: when she finally chooses to have sex with him? I can't tell if she chose to have sex with him because he did what he did for her at the theatre. If he did, why was there no inner conflict or change - why did we get his point of view of when she walks into the music room and she chooses to change the rules. I wanted, I needed that moment when she decided that what he did is what changed her. Instead, it's through his mind - he the one who was told constantly by her that she wouldn't give herself to any one. But instead, they fuck hard in the room and the next day he says that he made a mistake. I found that this went the route of normal regencies and it just didn't work for me. It just seemed like it was a different story with her making that choice and us just getting this fuck moment when a character who was against sleeping with someone and who was a virgin just randomly (or so it seems) to fuck the man.

Then, neurodivergent. I get that there was quirks with the main character and I like that the authoress has a 'connection' with the issue, but I felt that it did not come across very well in the writing. I've heard the term being used but if you told me that this guy was it? I would have never thought it by the way he was written. I can take it that other people might have an issue with this too. But I'll let those with neurodivergent loved ones or even themselves make the claim if it works.

I enjoyed the story, i did. I just think there was some faults that come across as an asexual like me coming into a story like this. If the above does not seem like an issue to you - then you will rate this higher. But if you're like me and have these quirks when reading, then you'll probably fall in the middle like me. Again, this is not a bad book and it was fun - it's just not quite my taste.